The men's basketball team improved its record to 4-3 on the season after winning two out of its three games over Thanksgiving break.
After suffering a 62-54 loss Nov. 20 against Morgan State, the Eagles bounced back and defeated New Jersey Institute of Technology 73-50 Saturday and Mount St. Mary's 66-45 Monday.
In their game against Morgan State, the Eagles struggled at the offensive end of the court, shooting just 23 percent in the first half of the game and 32 percent for the entire game.
Thanks in part to four three-point shots from junior Garrison Carr and a team 71 percent free throw average, the Eagles kept the score close up to the final minutes of the game.
Morgan State guards Jamar Smith and Reggie Holmes, both of whom contributed 16 points to their 62-54 win, led the opposing team.
The Eagles' game against NJIT was an entirely different story. From the opening tip-off to the final buzzer, AU dominated the floor. Not only did they score (11 players contributed to the final tally) but the Eagles also rebounded and defended with ferocity.
An astounding 26 Eagle points came from defensive stops. The Eagles led the entire game, and there was no looking back.
AU shot a 47 percent average and accumulated 15 points from Carr and 10 points from juniors Frank Borden and Derrick Mercer and senior Travis Lay.
The Eagles kept the momentum flowing as they stepped on to the Mount St. Mary's court Monday. The first half of the game was a deadlock. AU would go on a run, only to have Mount St. Mary's quickly take it away. Thanks in part to consistent, steady play and leadership from Carr and Lay, the Eagles led at halftime 31-24.
Both teams shot above 80 percent from the charity stripe in the first half, and AU finished the game with more points scored from the free throw line.
The second half was not as close. The Eagles quickly managed to expand their seven-point lead at the top of the second half to a 14-point lead by the fifth minute of the half.
The quick increase in points was due in part to Lay's career-high 17 points on 5-8 shooting. Carr's 12 points and 10 points for juniors Constantin Motnii and Brian Gilmore also supported the Eagle offense.
By the time the final buzzer sounded, the Eagles' lead surmounted 21 points, resulting in the team's fourth win of the season.
The Eagles play at home Saturday against the University of Maryland Baltimore County Retrievers at 2 p.m.
